How does the 21st Cures Act Affect Healthcare IT?

President Obama is preparing to sign into law the new 21st Century Cures Act, but how will this affect Healthcare IT?

It also aims to support health information technology goals, including electronic health record (EHR) interoperability and data privacy and security. Language in the bill could force technology vendors to make their systems talk to one another, prohibiting information blocking and other practices that interfere with data-sharing that would benefit patients. In addition to EHR interoperability, it also addresses product standards and certification. The act will help dig doctors out of the "ditch" that EHRs have put them in, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said from the floor just before the vote.

What this really means in implementation remains to be seen.

December 9th, 2016 |Categories: EHR, Obama, HITECH, HIPAA

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